We have seen that Alarcón’s plays show him to have taken a serious interest in the moral and social status of fiction, and that they raise the possibility of there being certain kinds of fiction, and even certain kinds of deceit, which are not merely acceptable within the moral code of the aristocratic society envisaged by Alarcón, but are even possessed of a particular kind of utility in that context.

Thus, in La verdad sospechosa as well as distinguishing between two different approaches to literary fiction, assessing both their style and content in moral terms, Alarcón introduces a concept of prudent dissimulation which also serves as a correlative to his own dramatic technique.

Very similar concerns underlie the composition of another of his bestknown works, Las paredes oyen. Like La verdad sospechosa, this play deals with literature (the satirical mode in particular) in its moral and social aspects, and it does so in a manner that implicitly advocates the use of certain kinds of deception for virtuous ends. Moreover, the argument of Las paredes oyen presents a systematic appraisal of a range of approaches to moral criticism (which includes both slander and satire), by means of which Alarcón defends his own role as a writer of moral satires for the stage, and simultaneously refutes the personal criticisms levelled against him by his enemies and literary rivals.

Las paredes oyen is a successful comedy of situation, presenting two parallel plots concerned with rivalry in love. The primary plot centres on doña Ana and her two suitors, don Mendo and don Juan, whilst the secondary plot features another dama, Lucrecia, don Mendo and a conde. Besides those features which were expected and enjoyed by the audience in the corrales, such as love intrigues, rape (attempted), swordplay, and disguise, the play also contains an obvious moral (‘[…] cuánto vale el hablar bien’ (III.17.2922 [OC, I, 292])) which is demonstrated when don Mendo’s predilection for making slanderous remarks ultimately costs him not only the love of both Ana and Lucrecia but also the friendship and patronage of the Duke of Urbino.